Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched a unique Scheme called SPIN (Strengthening the Potential of India) and set up a pottery cluster under SFURTI Scheme in Varanasi to empower over 1100 people of the marginalized potters’ community on the occasion of “Sewa Diwas”, the birthday of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. On this occasion, 780 electric potter wheels were sanctioned to the participants of SPIN Scheme. Further, in Gujarat, KVIC distributed 50 charkha to women artisans at Kevadia to engage them with self-employment and sustainable livelihood. Chairman KVIC Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena was present on the occasion.

                     

Union Minister of State for MSME Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma launched the SPIN Scheme in which 780 potters from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand have registered for financial assistance from the bank to begin their own business. Out of these, 110 artisans are from Varanasi. Incidentally, empowering the potters’ community and preserving the dying art of pottery is the dream of the Prime Minister.

Unlike Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, which is a subsidy-based program, SPIN Scheme enables the registered potters to get a direct loan from the banks under Pradhan Mantri Shishu Mudra Yojana. Under the SPIN Scheme, KVIC is acting as a facilitator for financial aid to potters through RBL bank and also providing training to the artisans, opting for this scheme. Under this scheme, there will be no financial burden on the exchequer and the loan will be repaid by the potter in easy installments. The SPIN scheme, thus, aims at infusing self-sustainability in the Indian pottery sector.

         

Shri Verma also inaugurated “Kashi Pottery Cluster” at Village Bhatti in Varanasi. This is the first pottery cluster in Varanasi district set up by KVIC under the SFURTI Scheme. The cluster, set up over an area of 7100 square feet at the cost of Rs 2.50 crore, has provided direct employment to 340 pottery artisans who have been trained by KVIC. The cluster is equipped with modern equipment like furnaces, electric potter wheels, blunger machines, pug mills and other modern equipment for higher production of clay pottery.

       

“SPIN is a specially designed program to make potters self-sustainable. Under the scheme, KVIC will facilitate potters to get easy loans from banks that will help the potters to diversify their activities and enhance their income. This will reduce their dependence on government subsidy and thus make our potters self-reliant,” Shri Verma said. He further said that the new Kashi pottery cluster will help traditional potters in increasing their skills with the help of modern equipment which will eventually help them occupy a bigger market space and get a better income.

            

Chairman KVIC, Shri Saxena said sustainable development by creating local self-employment is the key objective of KVIC which is aligned with the Prime Minister’s commitment of “Job to Every Hand” (Har Hath Me Kaam). “The SPIN Scheme and Kashi Pottery Cluster will play a major role in empowering the potters’ community, which is the dream of the Prime Minister. Apart from pottery, KVIC will also explore strengthening other traditional arts under the SPIN Scheme,” Saxena said.

In addition to this, KVIC distributed tool sets to 80 carpentry artisans in Varanasi and also planted 2000 bamboo saplings at Sewapuri Ashram in Varanasi.

 Salient Features of SPIN Scheme

·         It is a no-subsidy program

·         KVIC facilitates potters to get bank loans under Pradhan Mantri Shishu Mudra Yojana

·         No financial burden on the exchequer

·         Beneficiaries can repay the loans in easy installments.      

 

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